City of Basketball Love

By Owen McCue
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(Ed. Note: This story is part of CoBL’s “Prepping for Preps” series, which will take a look at many of the top high school programs in the region as part of our 2025-26 season preview coverage. The complete list of schools previewed thus far can be found here.)

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The Church Farm School boys didn’t end the 2024-25 campaign like they wanted to.

When standout senior Neiman Smith went down for an injury in mid-January, the Griffins never found their footing, dropping nine of their last 10 games and eight in a row.

An unproven and inexperienced squad also learned a lot on the fly.

“They had to do more than maybe they were ready for, but they were also learning the whole way,” seventh-year head coach Jonathan Guarente said. “It cost us the end of the season in that we didn’t finish the way we wanted to, but it’s helped us get into this year with a head of steam.”

Church Farm finished last season with a 10-12 mark, including an 8-6 record in the Bicentennial Athletic League for a seventh place finish. They dropped their league playoff opener to Calvary Christian then fell to Delco Christian in a District 1-2A semifinal.

Smith was the only member of the rotation who graduated last season. After getting their feet wet without him during the home stretch of 2024-25, this year’s group feels ready to make a major leap.

“Expectations are very high,” senior Brandon Bromfield said. “Everybody’s coming back except for one senior last year. We’re trying to win a state championship this year. We just gotta keep our heads high and keep moving forward.”

Senior guard Carl Raymond (6-5), a big strong guard from Brooklyn, N.Y., was a second team All-BAL selection last season. He’s in his second year with the program. Bromfield, who transferred from Downingtown East last year, was an all-league honorable mention, along with 6-7 junior wing Deng Mabior.

Senior Jayden Green (6-0), who has been with the program for four years, and junior point guard Terrion Turner (6-0) are two other key pieces.

“Last year, we had a new team,” Green said. “We didn’t really know each other, how each other played, and our effort wasn’t there. Now that we know how everybody plays, our chemistry’s getting way better.”

“Last year, I felt like we weren’t as connected,” Raymond added. “Maybe it was because I was a transfer, but this year we’re more connected. We’re more like a family. And we definitely want to bring more hunger than last year.”

The Griffins don’t have the look of a Class 2A school. 

Mabior and his size and length stick out. Junior 6-7 forward Chagus Agbor has worked himself into shape and provides another intimidating presence on the court. 

There’s some depth this season in the backcourt as well, highlighted when senior guard Othniel Yeboah (Class of 2027), who was on the JV team a season ago, popped off for a big game in one of the team’s last fall outings.

“We have two of everything,” Deng said. “We have two bigs, two lanky people, a whole roster.”

Unlike most of the area coaches, Guarente doesn’t get a chance to work with his group in the spring and summer. At Church Farm, an independent boarding and day school in Exton, students are required to play two sports and most head home far away when school lets out.

This fall he was pleasantly surprised by how far along the group was and points back to that trying stretch last January and February as a big reason why.

“All these guys had to bump up a spot and get thrown into the mix, and they weren’t totally ready for it,” Guarente said. “But the experience is proving invaluable because now they are way more advanced than they would be because of the last 10 games of the season.”

There’s an edge to his group last year that there wasn’t before.

The Griffins players said they are connected. They are hungry. They are also bought into what their coach is preaching.

“Defense is the No. 1 thing,” Raymond said. “Full-court press, just be focused on defense. And our defense leads to our offense. If we’re really aggressive on defense, we’re going to score.”

“Last year, we didn’t really bring the effort and energy,” Deng said. “This year, we’re going to play the whole game and not just one half.”

Church Farm last won the BAL in 2014. The Griffins last went to the state playoffs in 2022, making it to the second round of the PIAA Class 2A tournament after claiming their seventh District 1 championship (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2022).

The Griffins lost by two to reigning South Jersey Group 4 runner-up Cherry Hill East and dropped an overtime game to Penncrest, one of District 1 5A favorites, at the Delco Shootout in late October. The weekend showed the level Guarente’s team is capable of competing at.

“We’re ready to compete,” Raymond said. “We’re ready to play against whoever. And we’re ready to win. We want to win.”